Friday, December 21, 2012

Saviour of the Nations, Come

Ambrose (340-397) was the great bishop of Milan who was instrumental
in the conversion of St. Augustine. In fact, there is evidence in one of
Augustine's writings that substantiates Ambrose's authorship of a wonderful Advent hymn, Veni, Redemptor Gentium--indeed, he is credited with writing a goodly number of hymns and is sometimes referred to as
the Father of Hymnody. This particular hymn has been traditionally sung during the vespers
service of the Nativity on Christmas Eve. The great German Reformer, Martin Luther (1483-1546) was
instrumental in popularizing the hymn in Wittenburg through his 1524 translation from the Latin. The following version is an 1860 translation from Luther's German text
by William Reynolds. Several other versions of this hymn exist, including a fine
translation by John Mason Neale, Come,
Thou Redeemer of the Earth.